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Wednesday, August 14, 2013

Author versus Writer

Recently I revisited an old post on Query Tracker entitled Think Like An Author where the blogger, Danyelle Leafty, suggested that the difference between a writer and an author is *how* one thinks. Which made me ask myself, AmI thinking like and author or a writer? Danyelle states that writers must train themselves to think like authors. She outlines this within four basic parameters:

Write with Intent

Finding the Discipline Within the Passion

Be Willing to Try, to Learn, and to Make Mistakes

Be Proud of Your Work

I know I've succeeded in at least two of these parameters; I'm good at trying, learning and making mistakes, and at times I'm also proud of my work. The area I struggle with the most is discipline as I often let the tyranny of the urgent dictate my writing time. In revisiting this article I am recommitting myself to thinking like an author, not a writer. To write with Intent, Discipline and Passion. To be proud of my work not because it pleases someone else but because it pleases me. Since, as Danyelle says: Books that are written by writers who are seeking to please everyone will end up pleasing no one. Those books lose their voice, because they lose the heart of what they were trying to say in the beginning.

You can check out the entire blog post here and hopefully it will help you think more like an author and less like a writer, too.

Former Great Britain. Prime Minister,Benjamin Disraeli, says, The secret of success is constancy to purpose. How do you practice constancy in your craft?

One More Thing... Today is National Creamsicle® Day

A Creamsicle® is a frozen dessert with a vanilla ice cream core and a fruit sherbet coating. The classic Creamsicle® flavor combination is orange and vanilla and eating one is the perfect way to cool down on a hot August day.

If you can't find Creamsicles® in your home town, click here to make your own. You can also enjoy the flavor of a Creamsicle® in cake bites, cookies or a shake. No matter what your fancy there's a way to celebrate National Creamsicle Day!

12 comments:

Author implies to me someone who's thinking career. Also, it's taken me awhile to understand the importance of being proud of the work, of not belittling it before handing it off to someone to read. It's important to have faith in your writing and know that whatever isn't good enough yet can be fixed. :)

I like fudgesicles and creamsicles, but fudgesicles a little bit more.

Consistency, tenacity, and persistence are the words a fellow author (she's published) of writing told me. Well, I'm persistent but not enough. I do practice a lot. I'm already proud of my writing. I'll keep working on it!

I wanted to comment before but didn't so here goes. Personally, I don't think it matters if I call myself a writer, author, blogger, or food writer. What's important - MOST important to ME - is that I apply ass (or arse), to chair and get the work done.

Show up, get it done, and then go bake something yummy. That's what I say.